Window shade



C. D. CARVER WINDOW SHADE Apr i124, I934.

Filed April 4, 1933 CLAUDE D. CARVER ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 24, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 12 Claims.

This invention relates to window shades, and more particularly to a plaited window shade.

The primary object of the present invention is to generally improve window shades, especially window shades of the Venetian type, that is, shades which somewhat simulate a Venetian blind by reason of the shade fabric being folded into accordion plaits. A more particular object of my invention resides in the provision of a shade of this type which may be made cheaply for direct competition with conventional roller shades, and which may, in fact, be made even more inexpensively than roller shades because of the elimination of the spring rollers and accessory mechanism employed by roller shades.

Still another object of the present invention is to devise such a shade which may be sold and marketed exactly like conventional roller shades, the shade being sold in ordinary retail outlets, department stores, and the like, and being so designed that the ordinary housewife may substitute the same for a roller shade without the exercise of mechanical skill.

Other objects of my invention center about the means for hanging or attaching the shade in place, and are: to provide the shade with metallic fittings adapted to be received directly in the conventional shade brackets ordinarily used for roller type shades; to make the shade adjustable in width to accommodate any slight irregularities or difierences in the window frame dimension; and to provide the shade in standard dimensions and yet to so design the parts thereof that a standard shade may be cut down, when desired, to an odd size to fit a special window.

Other objects of my invention are to produce ashade which is novel in appearance contrasted with the drab monotony of conventional roller shades; to further enhance the appearance of the shade by appropriately locating the pull cords of the shade and ornamenting the shade at the pull cords; to obviate the use of a center pull cord; and to provide means for leveling the shade after it is secured in place.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other objects as will hereinafter appear, my invention consists in the window shade and the elements thereof, and their relation one to the other, as hereinafter are more particularly described in the specification and sought to be defined by the claims. The specification is accompanied by a drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view showing a shade embodying my invention, hung in place on a window;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged rear elevation of the corner portions of the shade, showing the construction thereof;

Fig. 3 is a section taken in the plane of the line 33 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a metallic fitting used at one end of the shade; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a metallic fitting used at the other end of the shade.

Referring to the drawing, and more particularly to Fig. 1 thereof, the shade of my invention comprises top and bottom shade sticks 12 and 14 between which there extends a shade cloth 16 creased to form a series of uniform accordion plaits. The top shade stick 12 is provided at its ends with metal fittings adapted to be received in conventional shade brackets 18 ordinarily used for roller type shades. Pull cords 20 and 22 extend upwardly from the bottom shade stick 14 through perforations in the plaits of the shade to the upper shade stick 12. The upper shade stick is provided with appropriate guide means for guiding the cords 20 and 22 sidewardly and then downwardly along the edge 24 of window frame 26. These guide means are located in back of the shade stick 12, the latter serving to conceal the guide means so that the appearance of the shade is in no way marred. The shade cloth is preferably striped with bands of a darker color or tone, these stripes being located at the cords 20 and 22 and serving to make decorative and attractive what might otherwise mar the appearance of the shade. The cords are secured in any desired manner, as to a tie-up bracket 28, thus fixing the extent to which the shade is lowered. The bottom shade stick 14 may, if desired, be provided with an appropriate knob or tassel 30, lending a decorative touch to the shade and permitting the shade to be drawn downwardly should it stick instead of falling freely when the pull cords are released.

Considering the shade in greater detail and referring particularly to Figs. 2 through 5 of the drawing, the shade sticks 12 and 14 may be relatively fiat or slat-like in nature and therefore light and inexpensive. The top shade stick 12 is provided at its ends with fittings 32 and 34, these being shown respectively in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawing. Each fitting is a relatively fiat plate-like member secured to the rear surface of the shade stick 12. The upper end of the plate is bent forwardly and downwardly to form a flange 36 which extends around the top edge of the shade stick. The fittings are secured to the shade, stick by appropriate screws 3'7 passing through slots 38. The construction shown permits the fitting to be securely anchored on the shade stick by the use of only a single screw, for any downward pull on the shade stick tends to cause the fitting to be oscillated inwardly above the screw, but such movement or oscillation is arrested by the top flange or hook 36. The use of a slot 38, instead of a round hole, permits the fitting to be moved somewhat, relative to the shade stick, thereby making the length of the shade stick adjustable to accommodate small variations in the size of the window frame.

One of the fittings, fitting 32, is provided with a relatively narrow projection 40 and is adapted to be received by the perforated bracket conventionally used at one end of an ordinary roller shade. The fitting 34 is provided with a relatively wide projection 42 adapted to be received by the slotted shade bracket normally used at the spring end of a roller shade. To hang the shade in place, it is simply necessary to insert the end 40 in the perforated shade bracket and to then slide the projection 42 into the slotted shade bracket. The mode of suspension of the shade 16 itself tends to keep the slat or shade stick 12 in an edgewise position, but in any case it is rigidly and securely held in the desired edgewise position by the mating of the broad projection 42 with the I slotted shade bracket.

The fitting 34 is additionally provided with a rearwardly bent ear 44 provided with a hole 46 acting as guide means for the pull cords of the shade. The hole is preferably fitted with an eyelet 48 so as to present a smooth rounded surface and to thereby minimize wear on the shade cord. The shadecords 20 and 22, which start at the bottom shade stick 14-, being there secured by appropriate decorative nails 50, extend upwardly through aligned holes 52 in the shade cloth, until they reach the upper shade stick 12, where they are guided sidewardly to the eyelet 48 heretofore referred to. For this purpose the shade stick may, most simply, be provided with screw eyes 54 screwed into the rear wall of the shade stick 12, as is clearly evident from an inspection of Figs. 2 and 3. It should be noted that the fittings 3'2 and 34, as well as the guide means for the cords, are all mounted in a simple and inexpensive manner directly upon the upper shade stick 12, and that they are all located in back of the shade stick and concealed thereby.

The shade cords may, if desired, be provided with means permitting leveling of the lower shade stick with respect to the upper shade stick. For this purpose the cords 20 and 22, heretofore referred to, properly comprise the ends of a single cord bent intermediately at the point 56. This terminal of the double cord is knotted to a loop 58 formed at one end of a single cord 60. It will be evident, from an inspection of Fig. 2, that the junction of the cords is a simple slip knot which, when loosened, permits the single cord 60 to be moved along the double cord, and thereby varying the effective length of the cords 20 and 22 with respect to one another. This in turn tilts the bottom shade stick, and, by appropriate adjustment, the shade stick may be leveled as desired.

It should be noted that the type of metallic end fittings 32 and 34 here disclosed not only provide for a small adjustment to accurately fit the shade brackets already mounted on the window frame, but also facilitate cutting down the shade to an odd length, as is sometimes required by window frames which are not of standard dimension. For this purpose the shade dealer has merely to remove the screws 37, thus freeing the fittings 32 and 34, to thereupon saw the ends of the top and bottom shade sticks to the desired length, together with the shade cloth, and to replace fittings 32 and 34 on the shortened shade stick.

It is believed that the mode of constructing and using my improved shade, as well as the many advantages thereof, will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description. The present shade is exceedingly attractive in appearance and yet is so simple in construction that it may be made inexpensively and sold in direct competition with ordinary drab roller shades. It is mounted in place directly upon the regulation shade brackets used for roller shades, and thereforev may be freely sold by retailers, department stores, and the like, for the ordinary housewife can hang the shade in place without difficulty. The working parts of the shade are concealed behind the top shade stick, and this is made of ample breadth for the purpose and yet is inexpensive because it need only be a relatively thin slat which, however, is maintained in an edgewise position, thus strengthening the same as a beam and improving the appearance of the shade. The shade may be adjusted in length to accurately fit the shade brackets and, in fact, the shademay be cut down to a new size, if desired. The pull cords are so located and the shade so striped or decorated in the region thereof as to actually improve rather than detract from the appearance of the shade. The present construction dispenses with a central shade cord, the pull cord being trained to one side of the window frame. No spring roller is employed, thus eliminating the expense of such a roller and, what is even more important, the nuisance of frequent tightenings of the shade spring.

It will be apparent that While I have shown and described my invention in preferred form, many changes and modifications may be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention, defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A window shade comprising a plurality of shade sticks including a non-rotatable top shade stick, an accordion-plaited shade cloth, metal fittings secured at the ends of the top shade stick for mounting the same directly in the conventional shade brackets ordinarily used for roller type shades, cords extending from a bottom shade stick through aligned holes in the folds of the shade cloth to the top shade stick, and cord guides mounted on the top shade stick for training the cords downwardly.

2. A window shade comprising slat-like top and bottom shade sticks, an accordion-plaited shade cloth extending between said shade sticks, fittings attached to the ends of the top shade stick for mounting the same rigidly in edgewise position directly in the conventional shade brackets ordinarily used for roller type shades, cords extending from the bottom shade stick through aligned holes in the folds of the shade cloth to the top shade stick, and cord guides mounted on the top shade stick for training the cords down- Wardly.

3. A window shade comprising top and bottom shade sticks, an accordion-plaited shade cloth extending between said shade sticks, metal fittings secured at the ends of the top shade stick for stationarily mounting the same directly in the conventional shape brackets ordinarily used for roller type shades, cords extending from the bottom shade stick through aligned holes in the folds of the shade cloth to the top shade stick, and guides mounted on the top shade stick for training the cords to one side of the window frame and thence downwardly.

4. A Window shade comprising a slat-like top shade stick, and a bottom shade stick, an accordion-plaited shade cloth extending between said shade sticks, means at the ends of the top shade stick for fixedly mounting the same in Sll edgewise position on a window frame, cords extending from the bottom shade stick through aligned holes in the folds of the shade cloth to the top shade stick, and cord guides mounted at the rear face of the top shade stick for training the cords to one side of the window frame and thence downwardly.

5. A top shade stick including a relatively wide wooden slat provided at each end with a metal fitting having a projection extending outwardly to be received by a shade bracket normally used for roller type shades, one of said projections being relatively wide and adapted to be received by the slotted shade bracket, and the other being relatively narrow and adapted to be received by the perforated shade bracket, said shade stick being provided with means for guiding a pull cord of the shade, and said fitting being so related to the shade stick as to hold the same in edge- Wise position.

6. A top shade stick including a wooden slat provided at each end with a metal fitting having a projection extending outwardly to be received by a shade bracket normally used for roller type shades, one of said projections being relatively wide and adapted to be received by the slotted shade bracket, and the other being relatively narrow and adapted to be received by the perforated shade bracket, and means adjustably anchoring the fittings on the shade stick for limited movement lengthwise of the shade stick.

7. A top shade stick including a wooden slat provided at each end with a sheet metal fitting, each of said fittings comprising a plate-like member resting against the rear wall of the shade stick, the upper end of said plate being bent around the top edge of the shade stick, a projection extending outwardly to be received by a shade bracket normally used for roller type shades, one of said projections being relatively wide and adapted to be received by the slotted shade bracket, and the other being relatively narrow and adapted to be received by the perforated shade bracket, one of said plates having a projection bent rearwardly and provided with an eyelet for guiding a pull cord downwardly, said shade stick being intermediately provided on its rear surface with means for guiding a pull cord toward the aforesaid end eyelet.

8. A top shade stick for a shade of the acoordion-plaited type, said shade stick including a wooden slat provided on its rear surface at each end with a sheet metal fitting, each of said fittings comprising a plate-like member resting against the rear wall of the shade stick, the upper end of said plate being bent around the top edge of the shade stick, a projection extending outwardly to be received by a shade bracket normally used for roller type shades, one of said projections being relatively wide and adapted to be received by the slotted shade bracket, and the other being relatively narrow and adapted to be received by the perforated shade bracket, the first of said plates having a projection bent rearwardly and provided with an eyelet for guiding pull cords downwardly, each of said plates being horizontally slotted to receive a screw adjustably anchoring the plate to the shade stick, said shade stick being intermediately provided on its rear surface with screw eyes for guiding the pull cords of the shade toward the aforesaid end eyelet.

9. A window shade comprising a plurality of shade sticks, an accordion-plaited shade cloth therebetween, cords extending from the bottom shade stick through aligned holes on the folds of the shade cloth to the top shade stick, said top shade stick comprising a wooden slat provided at each end with a metal fitting having a projection extending outwardly to be received by a shade bracket normally used for roller type shades, each of said fittings being horizontally slotted to receive a screw adjustably anchoring the fitting on the shade stick.

10. A window shade comprising top and bottom shade sticks, an accordion-plaited shade cloth therebetween, cords extending from the bottom shade stick through aligned holes on the folds of the shade cloth to the top shade stick, said top shade stick comprising a wooden slat provided at each end with a metal fitting having a projection extending outwardly to be received by a shade bracket normally used for roller type shades, one of said projections being relatively wide and adapted to be received by the slotted shade bracket, and the other being relatively narrow and adapted to be received by the perforated shade bracket, said top shade stick being provided with means for guiding the pull cords of the shade, and said fittings being so related to the shade stick as to hold the same in edgewise position.

11. A window shade comprising top and bottom shade sticks, an accordion-plaited shade cloth extending between said shade sticks, cords extending from the bottom shade stick through aligned holes on the folds of the shade cloth to the top shade stick, said top shade stick comprising a wooden slat provided at each end with a sheet metal fitting, each of said fittings including a plate-like member resting against the rear wall of the shade stick, the upper end of said member being bent around the top edge of the shade stick, a projection extending outwardly to be received by a shade bracket normally used for roller type shades, one of said plates having a projection bent rearwardly and provided with an eyelet for guiding pull cords downwardly, the rear wall of said shade stick being intermediately provided with means for guidingkthe pull cords of the shade toward the aforesaid end eyelet.

12. A window shade comprising top and bottom shade sticks, an accordion-plaited shade cloth extending between said shade sticks, cords running from the bottom shade stick through aligned holes in the folds of the shade cloth to the top shade stick, said top shade stick comprising a wooden slat provided at each end with a sheet metal fitting, each of said fittings including a plate-like member resting against the rear wall of the shade stick, the upper end of said member being bent around the top edge of the shade stick, a projection extending outwardly to be received by a shade bracket normally used for roller type shades, one of said projections being relatively wide and adapted to be received by the slotted shade bracket, and the other being relatively narrow and adapted to be received by the perforated shade bracket, the first of said plates having a projection bent rearwardly and provided with an eyelet for guiding pull cords downwardly, means 'adjustably anchoring the plates to the shade stick, said shade stick being intermediately provided on its rear surface with screw eyes for 

